Sri Lanka's transport sector has successfully implemented a comprehensive integrated special transport plan for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, facilitating travel from April 7th/8th until April 21st, with some services potentially extending beyond this date based on demand. This extensive effort involves the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), the National Transport Commission (NTC), the Railway Department, and the Provincial Council, all operating under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.
Bus Services: Extensive Deployment and Return Operations
Special bus services commenced as early as April 7th for some NTC deployments, with SLTB services officially starting on April 9th. These services are scheduled to operate until April 21st, with a 24-hour service in effect.
* Deployment: Approximately 1,500 additional SLTB buses were deployed for outbound travel and are now being utilized for return journeys from rural areas to Colombo. This includes 250 extra SLTB buses operating daily for long-distance routes. The NTC has also overseen the deployment of around 800 additional inter-provincial private bus journeys daily. An additional 50 standby buses were positioned around Colombo for emergency use, with more services added based on passenger demand.
* Operational Periods: Services for passengers traveling out of Colombo were active from April 8th until the afternoon of April 13th. The second phase, providing services for passengers returning to Colombo from distant provinces, commenced from April 15th afternoon and will operate until April 21st for SLTB, and until April 20th for NTC-managed services, with potential extensions.
* Departure Points: Services primarily operate from the Colombo Central Bus Stand, the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station, the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre, Kadawatha, and Kaduwela.
* Destinations: Key destinations include Hatton, Badulla, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Puttalam, Galle, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, Embilipitiya, and Welimada. Return services are particularly focused on routes from Badulla, Bandarawela, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and the Southern Province.
* Expressway Services: Special bus services are prioritizing routes on expressways, particularly to Galle and Matara. The Makumbura Multimodal Centre is also facilitating special expressway bus services.
* Special Colombo-Kandy Services: Special air-conditioned buses are deployed for the Colombo-Kandy route via the Kurunegala Expressway. An additional special bus service from Colombo to Kandy began on April 10th from the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station. This initiative, announced by Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, is a direct response to train service disruptions on the route caused by Cyclone Ditwah and continues on weekends. A special expressway bus service has also been launched from Pettah to Kandy and Galle, with around 20 buses specifically operating from Pettah to Kandy under temporary permits.
* Safety and Fares: All SLTB buses designated for festive travel have undergone a special safety inspection to ensure passenger security. Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Ratnayake has announced that legal action will be taken against buses found charging excessive fares during the festive season.
* Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre: Services from the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre began on April 8th and continued until April 13th. Buses operate daily from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM, extending until the last passenger is served. Passengers are advised to arrive early to secure their travel. For bus schedules, passengers can contact 0112-034474.
* Private Bus Operations: Approximately 30% of private buses were operational on April 15th, with the All-Island Private Bus Owners' Association expecting around 50% of private buses to be operational on April 16th.
* Seat Reservation System: The Ministry of Transport has extended the seat reservation system, initially introduced for New Year outbound travel, to also cover return journeys to Colombo. This pilot project is available for the Makumbura–Galle, Makumbura–Matara, and Colombo–Kandy special bus services.
Train Services: Resumption and Special Runs
The Railway Department commenced its special train services on April 9th, operating from April 10th to April 19th. Operations on the Northern Railway Line also resumed on April 9th. Trains will operate based on passenger needs, though services on the Colombo-Kandy route and up-country railway operations have faced significant disruptions due to Cyclone Ditwah.
* Key Special Routes:
* Colombo Fort to Anuradhapura: Departing Fort at 06:40 AM on April 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, featuring two first-class reserved compartments.
* Kankesanthurai to Anuradhapura: Departing Kankesanthurai at 06:00 AM on the same dates.
* New services between Maradana–Matara and Maradana–Beliatta.
* The Rajarata Rajini train (Beliatta to Mahawa) extended service to Anuradhapura.
* The Mahawa office train (Colombo Fort to Mahawa) is also operational.
* Return Journey Operations: Regular office trains resumed their normal schedules on April 15th and April 16th. Special train services will also remain in effect on April 16th to accommodate returning passengers, with additional special runs scheduled for the upcoming weekend. Commuter train runs for Matara are scheduled at 6:10 AM and 1:00 PM towards Matara, and 3:15 PM from Matara.
* Passengers can access the complete special train schedule on the official www.railway.gov.lk website.
Passenger Movement, Revenue, and Official Statements
Large crowds were observed at key transport hubs, including the Pettah - Bastian Mawatha private bus stand, Central Bus Stand, Makumbura Multimodal Transport Services Centre, and Colombo Fort Railway Station, as people traveled for the New Year. While some passengers reported a shortage of buses, the National Transport Commission affirmed that arrangements were made to deploy sufficient buses to meet demand.
As of the morning of April 13th, over 230,000 people had utilized transport services to travel to their hometowns for the New Year. The Sri Lanka Transport Board noted a decrease in passengers traveling from Colombo to distant provinces on the afternoon of April 12th, with buses being deployed on April 13th based on demand.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) reported a record revenue of Rs. 1 billion generated within six days from its special New Year transport services, primarily from providing services to passengers traveling to their hometowns. April 11th recorded the highest single-day revenue in SLTB's history, earning Rs. 213 million.
Traffic congestion was observed on April 15th at the Pinnaduwa entrance of the Southern Expressway in Galle, with long queues of vehicles reported intermittently at both entry and exit points.
Key Officials:
Sajeewa Kanakarathna, Chairman of the National Transport Commission (NTC), and Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena provided updates on the services. D.M. Wettasinghe, Assistant Manager of the Makumbura Bus Terminal at the NTC, confirmed details for the multimodal centre. Minister Bimal Ratnayake addressed fare enforcement. NTC Director General Dr. Nilan Miranda confirmed the potential extension of NTC services beyond April 20th if demand persists. SLTB Chairman Sajeeva Nandana Kanagaratne confirmed the record revenue figures. Asanka Samarasinghe, spokesperson for the Department of Railways, provided updates on train operations.